This invention relates generally to devices and systems for installing a wall covering of fabric material or the like onto a wall of a building, particularly through the use of a supporting track or frame which retains the wall covering material in an attractive and relatively taut condition. More specifically, this invention relates to an improved corner bracket for use with fabric supporting frames or tracks, to achieve facilitated and attractive installation of the wall covering material at a wall corner.
Fabric supporting tracks or frames are generally known in the art for use in supporting and retaining a fabric wall covering or the like on a wall of a building. Such structures typically comprise elongated track components adapted for secure mounting onto the building wall, and including means for supporting and tensioning the fabric material to provide an attractive wall covering. Such wall coverings are particularly desirable on rough and/or unfinished interior walls, since the tensioned fabric material provides an attractive and flat finished appearance despite the presence of roughened or otherwise unfinished and/or unprepared surfaces of the underlying wall structure. For examples of frame-supported fabric wall covering systems, see U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,018,260; 4,053,008; 4,151,762; 4,161,977; 4,197,686; and 4,676,016.
A preferred fabric supporting track assembly for use in installation of a fabric wall covering is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,403,642. More particularly, the track assembly comprises track base strips adapted for secure attachment to the wall along the marginal edges thereof, wherein the track base strips hingedly interfit with overlying fabric support strips adapted for attachment to the fabric wall covering material. The fabric support strips hingedly rotate toward snap-fit interlock with the underlying track base strips to support and retain the fabric wall covering in a tensioned manner on the wall. The snap-fit interlock between the fabric support and track base strips is designed to capture and conceal the marginal edges of the fabric material.
One disadvantage encountered with existing fabric support tracks or frames, as described above, relates to installation of the fabric material into a wall corner in a neat and attractive manner. In the past, it has generally been necessary for the track or frame components to be cut for purposes of defining mitered corners. However, accurate formation of mitered cuts requires a considerable degree of skill. Moreover, each corner of the track or frame is difficult to access for purposes of manipulating the fabric wall covering material to provide the desired uniformly tensioned fabric surface, without wrinkles or other distortions at the corners of the wall.
There exists, therefore, a need for improvements in supporting frames or tracks for fabric wall coverings and the like, particularly with respect to facilitated and simplified fabric installation in a neat and attractive manner into each corner of a wall. The present invention fulfill these needs and provides further related advantages.